Thursday, April 15, 2010

Don't Cross AIPAC

Obama's extremely modest rebuke of Netenyahu's harsh policies with regards to Israel's occupation of Palestine has drawn the ire of AIPAC. To let Obama know his place they've managed to get 76 Senators and 333 Congressman to sign a letter directed to Hillary Clinton re-affirming some pretty blind Congressional support for Netenyahu's brutal policies. It's Israel first and America second for many in Congress. Unfortunately my own Congressman voted for it, so I wrote him a letter, which I reproduce below.

Congressman McCotter,

I recently wrote a letter to you expressing my frustration that the US and Israel stand virtually alone against a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Palestine. The most recent vote in December was 164 nations in favor of peace and 7 against. Among the 7 is our nation. Without our support of peace a resolution cannot be reached.

You replied (thanks for your reply) on March 24 and indicated that the President is the one with the authority to appoint our UN ambassador and you don't really have the power to make them support the peaceful resolution.

But I believe there are steps you can take. I see that you have signed the Hoyer-Cantor Letter, which is taken to be a bit of a reprimand for Obama's actions which are interpreted to be criticism of settlement expansion in Jerusalem. Here's the roll call.

Are you aware that every international body has condemned Israeli settlements as a breach of the UN Charter? This includes the Security Council and the World Court, with even the American Justice on the the World Court (US Justice Buergenthal) agreeing. Are you aware that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is the first reason cited by Osama bin Laden for why he attacked the United States? See here.

Are you aware that the American people oppose settlement construction? See here.

Are you aware that General David Patreaus has explained that our favoritism towards Israel is fomenting violence against our troops and hampers American efforts in the Middle East? See here.

Your signature on this letter is part of a policy that is opposed by the majority of the American people, motivates terrorists to attack Americans, puts the lives of American troops at risk, and is universally regarded as illegal. If anything it probably encourages our UN ambassador to continue to oppose the peaceful resolution to the conflict. I urge you to listen to Americans. I ask you to consider the causes of Islamic terrorism if you want to help reduce it. I ask you to listen to military commanders that indicate the risk you are invoking to American troops. And I would ask you to consider what possible benefit such blind support for harsh and illegal Israeli policies brings to Americans. Peace can come to Palestine, but it is up to us, and especially you.

Discouraging settlement construction is not failing to support Israel. Obama already does support Israel. He defended their assault on Gaza when he took office that killed 1400 and there was no credible pretext. He isn't stopping them from expanding settlements.

What Obama did was very minor and in accord with the wishes of the American people. Also it's a nudge that would tend to make our troops safer and deflate the rage of terrorists directed at Americans. Even this tiny resistance is slapped down.

Supporting policies the public opposes is responding to the voters? I don't get that one. The public supports Israel generally but opposes settlement construction. This is about settlement construction.

About me

Raised as an evangelical, biblical inerrantist and political right winger I became an atheist and finally left winger later in life. I love to argue since I believe argument is what helped turn my former false beliefs into true ones, and that's been good for me. This blog is kind of a place for me to collect resources that justify my beliefs and also to continue to have arguments that refine and improve my views.